FR2496414A1 - SMOKE FILTRATION CARTRIDGE FOR CIGARETTE HOLDER - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION CONCERNS A SMOKE FILTERING CARTRIDGE FOR A CIGARETTE HOLDER. THE CARTRIDGE 6 COMPRISES AN EXTERNAL SHELL 10 COMPRISING A FIRST TUBULAR PART 12, A SECOND TUBULAR PART 14 AND A DIVISION WALL 16 PROVIDED WITH A HOLE 20 BORDERED BY AN INNER LIP 18, A CUP-SHAPED ELEMENT 24 FORMING ONE OR MORE NARROW SPACES 39, 40 BETWEEN ITS EXTERIOR WALL AND THE INNER WALL 22 OF THE FIRST TUBULAR PART 12 AND ADDITIONALLY COMPRISING ONE OR MORE RELATIVELY SMALL OPENINGS 30 IN ITS SIDE WALL 35, A DISC-SHAPED ELEMENT 26 ENGAGED IN THE FIRST TUBULAR PART 12 AND COMPRISING A HOLE 33, AND ALSO A FILTER 34 PLACED IN THE SECOND TUBULAR PART 14, THE FILTERING ACTION BEING CARRIED OUT IN TWO STAGES, NAMELY A FIRST STAGE OF STOPPING THE LARGE PARTICLES OF TAR CONTAINED IN THE SMOKE AND A SECOND STAGE OF STOPPING FINE PARTICLES USING FILTER 34. APPLICATION TO CIGARETTE HOLDER.

Description

The present invention relates to a carrier

  cigarette which is provided with a cartridge for removal of

  tar to filter the smoke passing through the door

  cigarette and relates more particularly to an improved arrangement of this tar removal cartridge, which improves its performance with respect to

the filtering of tobacco smoke.

  In the past, a number of different structures have been proposed for cigarette holders equipped with a tar removal cartridge. Many of these cigarette holders have a tar removal cartridge that is replaceable. Such a replaceable cartridge can be removed from the cigarette holder when the smoke filtering efficiency of the cartridge has fallen below an acceptable level and then

  replace it with a fresh cartridge.

  The filtering effect of such a tar removal cartridge must be durable because

  the user is often hesitant to change the cartridge.

  As a result, the number of cigarettes whose smoke can pass through the tar removal cartridge before the effectiveness of tar removal by the cartridge has fallen to an unacceptable level is a critical factor in the design of the cigarette. such a cartridge. In addition, the low cost of mass production of the cartridge is also a critical factor in the fact that the commercialization of such articles

  is quite suggestible by the price.

  Furthermore, with regard to the possibility of obtaining a good filtering effect of tobacco smoke passing through such a tar removal cartridge, which is very important when extremely high rates are taken into account. of lung cancer, bronchitis, heart disease and other conditions directly attributable to tobacco smoke, it is important that the percentage of tarry substances in tobacco smoke that are removed from tobacco smoke by such cartridge is raised at all times during its service life. In other words, the tar holdback rate, or the tar particle retention efficiency, must be initially high and must remain high enough until the cartridge is ready to be replaced by a new cartridge. Conventional tar collection cartridges, based on the principle of ejection of tobacco smoke against a barrier wall so that tarry particles are retained by this wall while the gases contained in the smoke are only deflected by the barrier have the general advantage of having a relatively large tar collection capacity but on the other hand they present

  the general disadvantage of having a rather poor efficiency

  removal of rather fine tar particles

quite small.

  A simple filtering device such as that conventionally used for a filter tip of a cigarette

  not suitable for use in a collection system.

  Such a filtering device is effective in removing a large proportion of the tarry particles from the smoke, including relatively fine or small particles, and tends very quickly to become clogged with tar. by the larger tar particles and therefore to lose its

  filtering ability. It follows that the ability to use

  Such a filtering device is actually limited to applications where it suffices to filter smoke to remove relatively fine or small particles.

  which do not intervene in large quantities.

  Accordingly, the main purpose of the invention is to provide a replaceable cartridge for removal of

  tar for a cigarette holder, which has a high efficiency

  cited for the removal of tar and which can be used to treat the smoke of a large number of cigarettes

  before his performance is seriously affected.

  It is also an object of the invention to provide a replaceable tar removal cartridge for a cigarette holder, which is not rapidly obstructed by the rather large tar particles in the smoke. The invention also aims to provide a replaceable tar removal cartridge for a cigarette holder, which is capable of retaining both the large and fine particles existing in the smoke and has a good cleaning efficiency of smoke for

  the two types of particles mentioned above.

  The invention further aims to provide a

  replaceable tar removal cartridge for a carrier

  cigarette, which comprises both a tarry coarse particle holding portion and a retaining portion of

small tarry particles.

  The invention also aims to provide a

  replaceable tar removal cartridge for a carrier

  cigarette, which establishes a certain degree of turbulence in the smoke before it enters the

retained large particles.

  The invention further aims to provide a

  replaceable tar removal cartridge for a carrier

  cigarette, which has a back-up system to retain large tarry particles to assist

  said portion for retaining tarry coarse particles

  his. The invention also aims to provide a

  replaceable tar removal cartridge for a carrier

  cigarette, which is of a simple construction.

  The invention further aims to provide a

  replaceable tar removal cartridge for a carrier

  cigarette, which is inexpensive and can be easily

produced in large quantities.

  The invention also aims to provide a

  replaceable tar removal cartridge for a carrier

  cigarette, which helps to prevent the occurrence of diseases such as lung cancer, bronchitis, heart disease and other conditions directly attributable to

tobacco smoke.

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  According to the invention, these objectives and others are achieved by means of a filter cartridge of

  smoke for a cigarette holder comprising a receiving element

  cigarette driver provided with a smoke inlet passage and arranged to receive a cigarette so as to pass smoke from the cigarette into said inlet passage, and a mouth member provided with an exit passage of smoke and arranged to be sucked by a user's mouth, said cigarette receiving member and said mouthpiece being selectively joined together in a selectively separable manner and

  cartridge receiving chamber being defined within the

  the cigarette holder by cooperation of said cigarette receiving member and said mouthpiece when so joined together, said smoke inlet passage and said smoke outlet passage communicating with opposite ends of said receiving chamber; cartridge assembly, the cartridge being mounted in said chamber so as to purify the smoke sucked by said inlet passage and discharged out of said outlet passage thereby passing through said cartridge receiving chamber, the cartridge comprising: (a) an outer shell comprising: a first hollow tubular portion; a second hollow tubular portion connected substantially coaxially with said first hollow tubular portion; a dividing wall portion, which generally separates the interior volume of said first tubular portion from the interior of said second tubular portion, being oriented perpendicularly to and provided with the central axis of said first and second tubular portions; a hole communicating with said inner volumes of said first and second tubular portions; and an

  inner tubular lip which extends over the entire

  said aperture of said hole in said dividing wall and which is oriented from said periphery of said hole in said dividing wall towards said central axis of the first tubular portion on the side of the

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  dividing wall which is turned towards said first tubular portion; (b) a cup-shaped member having a tubular and substantially cylindrical sidewall portion and a bottom portion mounted within said first hollow tubular portion at a position remote from said dividing wall the central axis of said substantially cylindrical tubular side wall portion substantially coinciding with the central axis of said first hollow tubular portion while the open end of the cup-shaped member is directed away from

  said dividing wall; said shaped element -

  cup sealing transversely said inner volume of said first hollow tubular portion except a certainty of one or more relatively narrow spaces which are defined between the outer wall surface of said cup-shaped member and the inner wall surface of said first hollow tubular portion areas of said relatively narrow spaces that are close to said dividing wall being in communication with said interior volume of said first hollow tubular portion between said cup-shaped member and said dividing wall; a series of one or more relatively small openings being provided through said side wall portion of said cup-shaped member and providing communication between said interior volume of the cup-shaped member and said series of relatively narrow spaces ; (c) a disk-shaped member, mounted to extend completely across said inner volume of said first hollow tubular portion on the side of said cup-shaped member which is remote from said dividing wall, and contact, by its side directed towards the cup-shaped element, with the edge of the tubular side wall portion of this element which is remote from its bottom; a hole being provided through said diket to provide communication between the disk-side space away from the cup and the interior volume of said cup; said disk-side space being remote from the cup being in communication with said interior volume of said first hollow tubular portion, between said cup and said dividing wall, only through the following parts taken in the specified order said hole formed through said disk-shaped member, said interior volume of said cup-shaped member, said series of relatively small openings which are formed through said side wall of said cup-shaped member, and said series relatively narrow spaces defined between said sidewall portion of said cup-shaped member and said inner wall of said first hollow tubular portion; and (d) a filter mounted in the interior of said second hollow tubular portion to prevent passage of smoke from said hole in said dividing wall and toward the end of said second hollow tubular portion which is remote from said dividing wall. With such a structure, the smoke is subjected to a filtration action in two stages: in the first stage, the rather large tar particles are removed from the smoke by coming up against and adhered to the inner wall surface of said first hollow tubular portion and then in the second stage, the smaller or thinner tar particles are removed from the smoke by passing said smoke through the filter. This double purifying action means that the means provided for the removal of the finer tarry particles, ie the filter, is effectively prevented from being quickly obstructed by coarse tarry particles in the

  smoke because the said gross tarry particles

  are removed from the smoke before it enters

in said filter.

  Furthermore, according to a particular aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cartridge of the type described above and which further comprises a tubular inner lip which extends over the entire periphery of said hole in said shaped member. disc and extending from said periphery of said hole in said disc-shaped member towards said central axis of said first hollow tubular portion to the side of said disc-shaped member which is turned towards the element cup-shaped, in order to

to enter the latter.

  With such a structure, because said tubular lip discharges the smoke into a position placed a little deep inside said cup-shaped member, this smoke is thus forced to reverse its direction of travel. an angle of almost 180 ° before passing through the relatively small apertures so as to be against the inner wall surface of said first tubular portion

  dig. This forced inversion of the moving direction

  The smoke produced therein has a considerable degree of turbulence, which turbulence contributes to bonding the larger tarry particles to said inner wall surface of said first hollow tubular portion. Furthermore, according to a particular aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cartridge of the type defined above, wherein said cup-shaped member is provided with a plurality of ribs on the outer cylindrical surface of said portion of substantially cylindrical tubular sidewall, said ribs extending along generatrices of said wall portion and abutting against said inner wall surface of said first tubular portion

  to maintain a mutual position predefined

  terminated between said outer cylindrical surface of said substantially cylindrical tubular side wall portion of said cup-shaped member and said inner wall surface of said first hollow tubular portion; said series of one or more relatively narrow spaces thus being arranged in the form of a

  plurality of sectors of a cylindrical shell.

  With such a construction, the spaces

  the aforementioned narrow are created in a simple manner

and easy.

  In addition. according to a particular aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cartridge of the type defined above, wherein said series of one or more relatively small apertures which are formed through said side wall of the shaped element. cup are all placed in very close proximity to the diidit side disc-shaped element which is directed towards the cup-shaped element and which is in

contact with it.

  In accordance with such a structure, since

  desirable, from the point of view of maintaining a good flow of

  large condensed tarry particles along the inner wall surface of said first hollow tubular portion, that the flow of smoke through the

  relatively narrow spaces is essentially unidirectional

  that is to say that it occurs essentially only in the direction of the dividing wall, because the openings are very close to the disk-shaped element, it follows that in said relatively narrow spaces it exists in close proximity to said lower surface of the disk-shaped element no area which constitutes a stagnant volume where it does not

  there is no fast and efficient flow of smoke.

  Consequently, there is no risk of accumulation of

  tarry particles in such areas of stagnation.

  Furthermore, according to a particular aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cartridge of the type defined above, this cartridge comprising the ribs described above, said ribs extending slightly beyond said bottom portion of the cup-shaped member in a direction opposite to the disc for forming protuberances which abut against an uneven area of the inner surface of said first tubular portion, said cup-shaped member being clamped between said disc and said uneven area so as to to be held in place in said first tubular portion; and further said inner surface of said first tubular portion is substantially in the form of two cylindrical surfaces having slightly different diameters and being coaxially end-to-end, said cylindrical surface being furthest from said dividing wall having a diameter slightly greater than that of the cylindrical surface which is closest to said dividing wall while said unequal zone of said inner surface of the first tubular part forms a

  step in the region joining the two cylindrical surfaces

driques.

  According to such a structure, when the smoke from said relatively narrow spaces passes over said step to penetrate the defined volume within the smaller inner cylindrical surface of said first tubular portion, this smoke is further acted upon. impact against said step

  and this causes the separation of other quantities of

  tarry particles contained in the smoke on said step, so that they join other tarry particles that have accumulated on the large inner cylindrical surface and have slid down beyond the step so as to accumulate in the bucket formed on the first side of the dividing wall towards said cup-shaped member delimited by said lip. Consequently,

  the prediction of this step allows for the formation of a secondary trap.

  for coarse tarry particles, smoke

  to go through this trap before entering the filter.

  In addition said step constitutes a flange against which the cup-shaped element which is inserted into said first tubular portion abuts, in order to be mounted

in its predetermined position.

  Other advantages and features of the invention will be highlighted later in the

  description, given by way of non-limiting example, in

  reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

  fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a carrier

  cigarette of generally tubular shape, which is arranged to removably receive a cartridge according to the present invention, for purifying the smoke sucked through the cigarette holder, this figure showing

  also a perspective view of a preferred mode of

  tion of the cartridge according to the invention which is mounted in a chamber defined inside the cigarette holder, said section being made in a plane which passes through the central axis of the cigarette holder and the cartridge, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of said preferred embodiment of the cartridge according to the invention, intended to be mounted in the chamber of the cigarette holder of FIG. 1, the section being made in a plane which passes through the central axis of the cartridge, FIG. 3 is an end view of said preferred embodiment of the cartridge according to the invention, this view being taken in a direction indicated by lines III-III in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is an end view of a shaped element

  cupel which intervenes in said preferred embodiment of

  the cartridge according to the invention, this view being made in a direction indicated by lines V-V in FIG. 4, ie looking towards the cavity defined in the cup-shaped element, FIG. 5 is a side view of the cup-shaped member in a direction defined by the lines IV-IV of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is an end view of a filter element incorporated in said preferred embodiment of the cartridge according to the invention, the view being made in one direction.

  defined by lines VI-VI in fig. 2.

  The present invention will now be described with reference to the preferred embodiment which has been shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts, apertures and gaps are designated by the same reference numerals and symbols throughout the figures.

  Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a carrier

  cigarette which is designed to use a cartridge according to the present invention. This cigarette holder is made of a

  a cigarette receiving element 1 and a mouthpiece element

  2. The cigarette receiving element 1 is in the form of a cigarette holding part 3 which appears as an opening and which is arranged to allow insertion and jamming of the unlit end. a cigarette so that the latter is fixed in a smoke-tight manner in the cigarette receiving element 1; the mouthpiece member 2 is provided with a suction portion 4 which is arranged to be sucked by the lips of a smoker. The cigarette receiving element 1 and the mouthpiece element 2 are arranged in the form of hollow tubular elements and they are fixed together coaxially, in this particular construction mode, by means of a male thread which is formed on the mouthpiece member 2 and which is screwed into a female thread formed on the cigarette receiving member 1. Accordingly,

  an axial passage of smoke is defined through the holder

  cigarette from the cigarette holding portion 3 of the receiver element 1 to the suction portion 4 of

the mouthpiece element 2.

  In a chamber 5 formed in an intermediate portion of this smoke passage, there is provided a cartridge 6 according to the invention and which is shown in the drawings a preferred embodiment. The cartridge 6, as will be specified below, is generally formed of two cylinders abutting axially against each other and having slightly different diameters; corresponding to this structure, the cartridge chamber is arranged, in the embodiment shown, in the form of two cylindrical chambers which are placed axially end to end, the largest of these two cylindrical chambers being formed in the receiving element cigarette 1 and having a length and a diameter adapted to receive the largest of the two cylindrical portions of the cartridge 6 while the smaller of the two cylindrical chambers is formed in the mouth member 2 and has adapted dimensions for receiving the smaller of the two cylindrical portions of the cartridge 6. In other words, in the structure shown, the junction between the cigarette receiving element 1 and the mouthpiece element 2 is to say

  where the two threads mentioned above are placed

  above is arranged to constitute, in the axial direction of the cigarette holder, the connection zone between the two cylindrical chambers mentioned above. Accordingly, when the two threads are unscrewed relative to one another and when the cigarette receiving element 1 and the mouthpiece member 2 are separated one from the other.

  on the other hand, a used cartridge 6 can be removed from the holder.

  cigarette and a new cartridge 6 can replace the old one. On the other hand, when the two threads are tightened together and when therefore the cigarette receiving element 1 and the mouthpiece member 2 are tightly assembled, a cartridge 6 in the chamber 5 is held tightly in that chamber. here and she is prevented from moving both in the axial direction and in the

  radial direction of the cigarette holder.

  In fig. 2, the detailed internal structure of the preferred embodiment of the cartridge according to the invention has been demonstrated. As mentioned above, the outer shell 10 of this cartridge 6 is in the form of two hollow tubular portions which are arranged axially end to end and which have slightly different diameters. The first of these tubular portions 12 (considering the direction of progression of the smoke through the cartridge 6, in a position on the left in Fig. 2) is the one with the largest diameter and,

  as will be explained later, this tubular part

  re of large diameter 12 has in its internal cavity a

  means of purifying smoke from tar particles.

  coarse contents it contains. On the other hand, the second hollow tubular portion 14 (again considering the direction of progression of the smoke through the cartridge 6, and in a position on the right in Fig. 2) is the one with a larger diameter. small and, as will be specified in the following, this tubular portion of small diameter 14 has in its internal cavity a means

  to purify the smoke of its fine tarry particles.

  As a result, the cartridge according to the invention is capable of effectively purifying tobacco smoke from fine and coarse tarry particles, without said means for purging smoke from its fine tarry particles running no risk of premature obstruction by coarse tar particles, because these large particles, before they can reach said

  means of purifying the smoke from its tar particles.

  its fines, have already been removed by filtering the smoke by said means for purifying the smoke of its particles

coarse tarry.

  Between the first tubular portion 12 and the second tubular portion 14, there is provided, for separating the interior volumes, a partition wall 16, which is oriented perpendicularly to the common central axis of said tubular portions 12 and 14. In the center of this partition wall 16, there is provided a hole 20 which thus establishes a communication between the internal cavity of the first tubular portion 12 and the internal cavity of the second tubular portion 14 and further it is provided on the edge. said hole a tubular lip 18 oriented towards the first tubular portion 20 for a distance in the interior of said cavity, ie to the left by looking at the figure. Accordingly, radially outwardly of said tubular lip 18 looking from the left in FIG. 2, there is provided at the bottom of the cavity of the first tubular portion 12 a bucket 19 of

  toric form, the function of which will be explained later. In the preferred embodiment of the invention,

  As shown in the drawings, the cavity of the first tubular portion 12 is defined by two inner cylindrical surfaces placed end to end and of slightly different diameters. The largest of these two surfaces, designated by the reference 22, is located in the figure on the left with respect to the smaller, designated by the reference 23; a step 31 directed to the left, looking at the figure, is thus defined in the junction zone of said inner cylindrical surfaces 22 and 23. Against this step 31 is locked in the space defined by the large inner cylindrical surface 22, a cup-shaped element

  24, which will be described in detail later and whose

  The locking is effected by the pressure exerted by a disk-shaped element 26, which is mounted inside the extreme zone of the large internal cylindrical surface 22. of the first tubular portion 12 at the left end of the first tubular portion

  12 in fig. 2, so as to extend completely

  versalement at the opening of the first tubular portion 12, to the left by looking at the figure. In the preferred embodiment of the cartridge according to the invention

  shown in the drawings, this assembly is carried out

  by wedging the disk-shaped member 26 in the end of said large inner cylindrical surface 22, because said disk 26 is arranged to have an outside diameter slightly larger than the inside diameter of the large cylindrical surface 22, when the disk 26 and the first tubular portion 12

  are not solicited by constraints.

  As a result, the right side, looking at fig. 2, of the disk-shaped member 26 is applied against the portion of the cup-shaped element 24 which extends furthest to the left in the figure, that is to say up to the upper edge of the the wall of the element 24, and it pushes said element 24 to the right, looking at the figure, so as to apply the parts of the element 24 which extend the most towards the right against said step

  31 defined in the junction area of the cylindrical surfaces

  22 and 23. The outer edge of the disc-shaped member 26 is sealingly

  large cylindrical surface 22 of the first tubular portion

  12. A hole 33 is housed in the center of said element 26 and, as will be specified hereinafter, this hole 33 establishes a communication between a volume defined inside the element 24 and the outside of the cartridge 6. in accordance with

  the invention. In the preferred embodiment, this element

  26 is also provided with a tubular lip 32, which extends to the right by looking at FIG. 2, in order to penetrate a certain distance into the volume defined inside the cup-shaped element 24, for

  reasons that will be explained later.

  The detailed structure of the cup-shaped element 24 will now be described, while giving

  reasons justifying its different characteristics.

  The cup-shaped member 24 is provided with a bottom portion 37 and a substantially cylindrical tubular sidewall portion 35, which are connected together to form a cup. Along the outer cylindrical surface of the sidewall portion 35, there are provided a plurality of ribs 28 extending in the axial direction of said cylindrical surface (i.e. along generatrices of this surface), said ribs protruding in the radial direction from the outer surface of said sidewall portion 35. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, there are in fact two ribs 28 which are spaced 180 apart from each other on the periphery of said outer cylindrical surface of said side wall portion 35. These ribs 28 are clearly visible in Figures 4 and 5 and as shown in FIG. 5, the ribs 28 protrude slightly from the bottom portion 37 of the cup-shaped member 24 to form two small projections 28a but terminate flush with the upper edge of the side wall portion 35

  of the element 24 which is remote from the bottom portion 37.

  Finally there are provided in the upper circular edge of the cylindrical side wall portion 35 of the element 24 two notches 30 which are placed in two positions located equidistantly between the two ribs 28, that is to say in positions which are each spread 900 from the

rib 28 corresponding.

  As a result, because of the provision of the two ribs 28, the outer cylindrical surface of the sidewall portion 35 of the cup-shaped member 24 is kept spaced a slight distance from the large inner cylindrical surface 22 of the first tubular portion 12. It is important for the principle of the present invention that this gap formed between the inner cylindrical surface 22 and the cylindrical surface

  outer section of the cup-shaped element 24 is

  tively narrow, for reasons to be specified later. Furthermore, it is important for the principle of the present invention that the notches or openings 30 are relatively small, also for reasons which will be specified hereinafter. In fact, because the ribs 28 are continuous, two separate spaces 39 and 40 are defined between the outer wall surface 35 of the cup-shaped member 24 and the inner cylindrical surface 22 of the first tubular portion 12, each said spaces communicating with a respective notch 30; this corresponds to a particular feature of the present invention and this explains the reason why there are two slots 30. Accordingly, through

  notches 30, the spaces 39 and 40 are put in cowmmunica-

  In addition, because of the provision on the ribs 28 of the two small projections 28a which extend beyond the bottom portion 37 24, this bottom portion 37 is kept slightly spaced from the existing step 31 in the junction zone of the inner cylindrical surfaces 22 and 23 of the first tubular portion 12 and consequently the two spaces 39 and 40 are in communication with each other. with the existing volume inside

  of the small inner cylindrical surface 23 of the first

  As a result, in summary, the space

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  outside located to the left of the cartridge 6 in FIG. 2 is in communication with the volume existing inside the second tubular portion 14 via the following foods, taken in the order considered: said hole 33, said spacing defined inside the element in the form of cup 24, said notches 30, said two spaces 39 and 40, said volume placed inside the small inner cylindrical surface 23

  of the first tubular portion 12 and said hole 20.

  In the volume located inside the second tubular portion 14, there is provided a filter 34 which is provided with a tubular shape. In fact, as shown in FIG. 6, this filter 34 comprises an outer tube 36 made of a plastic material or similar material and which has an outside diameter slightly larger than the inside diameter of the second tubular portion 14. In this outer tube 36 is housed a beam 38 of a large number of plastic fibers which extend in the axial direction of said outer tube 36. As a result the filter 34 is securely clamped against the inner cylindrical surface of said second

tubular portion 34.

  We will now describe the operation of

  cartridge 6 for removing tar particles from

  its contained in tobacco smoke.

  When the cartridge 6 is mounted in the holder

  cigarette shown in FIG. 1 and when a lit cigarette is inserted into the holding portion 3 of the smoke comes out of the cigarette under the effect of suction exerted by the mouth of the smoker on the part 4, said smoke entering through a hole in the receiving element of cigarette 1, connected to the holding portion 3, to reach the left end of the cartridge 6 by looking at FIG. 2, and to exit at its right end, the smoke passing through the hole in the mouth member 2 to arrive via the suction portion 4 in the mouth of the smoker. When this smoke is thus sucked through the cartridge 6, it passes through the hole 33 formed in the disk-shaped element 16, then it passes in front of the tubular lip 32 to enter the volume defined inside the cup-shaped element 24, it swirls inside this volume then it passes through the two notches 30 above to enter the two spaces 39 and 40 and thus arrive at the large inner cylindrical surface 22 of the first tubular portion 12. At this time, because the notches 30 are small enough, the smoke flows quite rapidly when it arrives at the inner cylindrical surface 22 and, since this impact occurs essentially at an angle of, the particles heavy tarters contained in the smoke, which have a great deal of inertia compared to the friction forces exerted by the air on their

  external surfaces and in relation to

  static and similar influences which act equally on the particles, are closely applied and bonded to said inner cylindrical surface. As a result, the smoke is purified of its coarse tarry particles which remain stuck on the cylindrical surface

inside 22.

  Then, the smoke passes through the two spaces 39 and 40 while moving to the right, looking at fig. 2, then it passes between the bottom portion 37 of the cup-shaped element 24 and the defined step 31

  in the junction zone of the cylindrical surfaces internally

  22 and 23, then it enters the existing volume inside the small inner cylindrical surface 23 of the first tubular portion 12, the smoke then passing through the hole 20 in the partition wall 19 to get into the volume defined inside the second tubular portion 14. The smoke then enters the left side, looking at FIG. 2, the filter 34 and then it passes through the filter o it is purified thinner particles that exist in the smoke, these fine particles sticking on the sides of the many fibers of the beam 38, according to a known principle, the total surface of all the aforementioned fibers being very large. Then this more or less refined smoke leaves the right side, looking at fig. 2, filter 34 and then, as described above, this smoke is sucked into the smoker's mouth and lungs. As this purification action occurs, it is evident that after a certain time the areas of the large inner cylindrical surface 22 of the first tubular portion 12 against which the smoke mainly arrive, ie the areas opposite the notches 30, are rapidly covered with

  tarry particles. However, because

  In the present invention, the two spaces 39 and 40 are quite constricted, and therefore the velocity of the smoke and particles contained therein is sufficiently

  high, these tarry particles are gradually

  This gas flow passes along the inner cylindrical surface 22, ie to the right, by looking at FIG. 2, then on the step 31 and along the small cylindrical inner surface 23 in its axial direction, until they accumulate in the toric cavity 19. Then, because of the provision of the tubular lip 18, these tarry particles, even when they have finally accumulated in large quantities in said bucket 19, are effectively prevented from passing through the hole

  to penetrate the filter 34 and cause its obstruc-

  tion. This explains why the lip preview

  tubular 18 is essential for the present invention.

  It should be noted that the prediction of the step 31 defined in the junction zone of the inner cylindrical surfaces 22 and 23, although not strictly necessary for the present invention, corresponds to an interesting characteristic of the latter. This is explained by the fact that, when the fury coming from the two spaces 39 and 40 passes on this step 31 to penetrate the volume existing inside the small internal cylindrical surface 23 of the first tubular portion 12, this smoke is subject to an additional impact effect

24964-14

  against said step 31, which causes the deposition of additional quantities of tarry particles on the step 31, said particles joining other tar particles which have accumulated on the large inner cylindrical surface 22 and which slide down over the step 31 so as to accumulate in the toric cavity 19, as explained above. Consequently, the prediction of this step 31 makes it possible to form

  a secondary trap for large tar particles

  his, this trap must be crossed by the smoke before his

penetration into the filter 34.

  As a result, the smoke is subjected to a filtration action in two stages: in the first stage, the coarse tarry particles are removed from the smoke by abutting and sticking to the inner cylindrical surface 22 of the first tubular portion 12, as explained above; in the second stage, the smaller or thinner tar particles are removed from the smoke by passing it through the filter 34. This double purification action is essential to obtain good results with the cartridge according to the present invention. ; the means for removing the fine tar particles, ie the filter 34, is effectively prevented from being rapidly obstructed by coarse tarry particles in the smoke as these coarse particles are removed from the smoke before it does not enter the filter. A synergistic effect is therefore obtained by the combination of these two stripping-off structures, which have slightly different characteristic performances which could not be obtained by using them individually. In other words, the structure for removing coarse tarry particles, ie the structure comprising the cup-shaped element 24, etc., is not in itself very effective for purifying the smoke. tar because this structure has no purifying effect on the fairly fine or small tar particles in the smoke and do not have substantial inertia. In addition, the structure for removing fine tarry particles, ie the filter 34, is not in itself very effective in purifying tar smoke because, although said structure is in fact good efficiency of purification, for example a filter, it occurs, when receiving raw smoke, a rapid obstruction under the action of coarse tar particles existing in this smoke. On the other hand, when the two aforementioned structures are used in combination in the order indicated, each of them overcomes the intrinsic disadvantages to the other and results in a combined structure of purification of smoke, that is to say the cartridge according to the invention which has superior characteristic performance and which is capable of operating during a period of

  prolonged time without obstruction.

  During this process of purification of smoke, the action of the tubular lip 32, which penetrates a certain distance inside the volume of the cup-shaped element 24, has a certain efficiency although

  this lip is not essential for the present invention.

  tion. Because the smoke passing through the hole 33 to enter said interior volume is therefore discharged into a portion of the volume of the cup-shaped member 24 which is quite close to the bottom portion.

  37, this smoke is forced to reverse its sense of displace-

  from an angle of almost 1800 before passing through the notches 30 to arrive at the inner cylindrical surface 22 of the first tubular portion 12. This forced reversal of the direction of flow of the smoke produced in it a considerable degree turbulence and this turbulence sacilite the impact and bonding of the coarse tarry particles on said inner cylindrical surface 22. This corresponds to a very characteristic

  of the present invention.

  Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown, from which we can provide other modes and other embodiments, without departing from the

framework of the invention.

  For example, the notches could be replaced by small holes in the side wall portion 35 of the cup member 24, since its

  inner cylindrical surface to its cylindrical surface

  external, although it is essential for the present invention that said holes are relatively small, in order to create in the smoke a high flow velocity for its impact on the inner cylindrical surface 22 of

  the first tubular portion 12, as explained above.

  It would not be necessary to form said holes absolutely on the upper edge of the sidewall portion 35, i.e. at the maximum possible distance away from the bottom portion 37 of the element. cup shape 24, although it is preferable that they be so positioned, since it is advantageous, from the point of view of maintaining a good flow of large condensed tarry particles along the inner cylindrical surface 22, that the smoke stream flowing in the two spaces 39 and 40 is essentially unidirectional, i.e., is oriented essentially only to the right looking at FIG. 2; if said hole or apertures corresponding to the notches 30 are not very close to the inner surface of the disc-shaped member 26, the areas of said spaces 39 and 40 which are the closest to said inner surface of the disc. disc form 26 are in fact spaces of stagnation, where no caking flow occurs

  fast and effective. There would be a risk of

  mulation of tarry particles in these stagnant volumes and such an accumulation could cause an obstruction of the openings corresponding to the notches 30. Also the particular structure shown in the drawings and involving projections 28a on the ribs 28 is not the only structure to consider; another construction establishing communication between the

  right ends, in fig. 2, relative spaces

  39 and 40 with the volume placed inside the small inner cylindrical surface 23 of the

first tubular portion 12.

Claims (13)

  A smoke filter cartridge (6) for a cigarette holder comprising a cigarette receiving member (1) having a smoke inlet passage and arranged to receive a cigarette so as to convey smoke from the cigarette in said inlet passage, and a mouthpiece member (2) provided with an exit passageway of   smoke and arranged to be sucked by the mouth of a user.   said cigarette receiving element and said mouthpiece member being selectively joined together selectively separable and a cartridge receiving chamber (5) being defined inside the cigarette holder by cooperation of said receiver member with cigarette and said mouthpiece when so joined together, said smoke inlet passage and said smoke outlet passage communicating with opposite ends of said cartridge receiving chamber, the cartridge being mounted in said chamber; in order to purify the smoke sucked up by said inlet passage and discharged out of said outlet passage, thus passing through   said cartridge receiving chamber, cartridge   characterized in that it comprises: (a) an outer shell (10) comprising: a first hollow tubular portion (12); a second hollow tubular portion (14) connected substantially coaxially with said first hollow tubular portion; a dividing wall portion (16), which generally separates the interior volume of said first tubular portion from the interior of said second tubular portion, being oriented perpendicular to the central axis of said first and second tubular portions, and provided with a hole (20) which communicates with said inner volumes of said first and second tubular portions; and a tubular inner lip (18) extending over the entire periphery of said internal hole in said wall   division and which is oriented from said peripheral   said hole in said dividing wall toward said central axis of the first tubular portion on the side of the dividing wall facing said first tubular portion; (b) a cup-shaped member (24) having a tubular and substantially cylindrical side wall portion (35) and a bottom portion (37) mounted within said first portion tubular hollow in a position remote from said dividing wall, the central axis of said substantially cylindrical tubular side wall portion substantially coinciding with the central axis of said first hollow tubular portion while the open end of the shaped member cup-shaped is directed away from said dividing wall; said cup-shaped element sealing transversely said inner volume of said first tubular portion;   digs except a series of one or more relative spaces   narrow (39, 40) which are defined between the outer wall surface (35) of said cup-shaped member (24) and the inner wall surface (22) of said first hollow tubular portion (12), the zones of said relatively narrow spaces that are close to said dividing wall being in communication with said interior volume of said first hollow tubular portion (12) between said cup-shaped member (24) and said dividing wall (16); a series of one or more relatively small openings (30) being provided through said sidewall portion of said cup-shaped member and providing communication between said interior volume of the cup-shaped member and said series of cups; relatively narrow spaces (39, 40); (c) a disk-shaped member (26) mounted to extend completely across said interior volume of said first hollow tubular portion on the side of said cup-shaped member which is remote from said dividing wall, and contacting, by its side directed towards the cup-shaped element (24), with the edge of the tubular side wall portion (35) of this element which is remote from its bottom (37); a hole (33) being sparing through said disk (26) to establish communication between the disc-side space which is remote from the cup and the interior volume of said cup; said disk-side space which is remote from the cup being in communication with said interior volume of said first hollow tubular portion, between said cup and said dividing wall, only through the following parts taken in the specified order said hole formed through said disc-shaped member, said interior volume of said cup-like member (24), said series of relatively small openings (30) which are formed through said side wall of said shaped member; cup (24), and said series of relatively narrow spaces (39, 40) which are defined between said sidewall portion of said cup-shaped member (24) and said inner wall of said first hollow tubular portion (12); and (d) a filter (34) mounted in the interior of said second hollow tubular portion (14) to prevent passage of smoke from said hole (20) in said dividing wall (16) and direction of the end of said second hollow tubular portion which   is remote from said dividing wall (16).   Cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a tubular inner lip (32), which extends over the entire periphery of the hole (33) in the disk-shaped element (26). and which is oriented from the periphery of the hole in the disc-shaped member towards the central axis of the first. hollow tubular portion (12) on the side of the disc which is turned towards the cup-shaped member, in order to penetrate into this shaped element. cup (24).   A cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that said cup-shaped member (24) is provided with a plurality of ribs (28) on the upper cylindrical surface of its substantially cylindrical tubular sidewall portion, said ribs extending along generatrices of said surface, in that said ribs (28) abut against said inner wall surface of the first hollow tubular portion (12) to maintain a predetermined mutual position between said outer cylindrical surface of said substantially cylindrical tubular side wall portion of the cup-shaped member and said inner wall surface of said first hollow tubular portion (12), said series of one or more relatively narrow spaces (39, 40) being thereby arranged as a plurality of sectors of a cylindrical shell. 4. Cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that said ribs (28) are two in number and in that said relatively narrow spaces (39, 40) are also two in number.   A cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that said series of one or more relatively small apertures (30) which are formed through said side wall of the cup-shaped member (24) are all placed in close proximity to the disk-shaped element '26) which is turned towards the cup-shaped element (24) and which is in contact with it.   A cartridge according to claim 5, characterized in that said relatively small apertures (30) which are formed through said side wall of the cup-shaped member (24) are arranged as small notches in the edge of said substantially tubular side wall portion (35) of the cup-shaped member (24) which is remote from its background (37).   A cartridge according to claim 6, characterized in that said cup-shaped member (24) is provided with two ribs (28) on the outer cylindrical surface of its substantially cylindrical tubular side wall portion (35), said ribs extending along   generators of said surface and being distributed approximately   in mutual opposition to said cylindrical surface   than the two above-mentioned ribs (28) resting against said inner wall surface of the first   tubular portion (12) to maintain a position   predetermined mutual relationship between said outer cylindrical surface of said substantially cylindrical tubular side wall portion (35) of said cup-shaped member (24) and said inner wall surface of said first hollow tubular portion (12), in that said series one or more relatively narrow spaces (39, 40) are thus in the form of two sectors of a cylindrical shell and in addition that the aforesaid notches (30) are provided in number of two and are placed, on said edge of said substantially tubular side wall portion (35) of the   cup shape (24), in positions which are appro-   approximately symmetrical with respect to the two ribs mentioned above (28).   A cartridge according to claim 3, characterized in that said ribs (28) protrude slightly from the bottom (37) of the cup-like member (24) in a direction opposite to said disk-shaped member (26) in order to forming protuberances (28a) which abut against an uneven portion of the inner surface of the first tubular portion (12), said cup-shaped member (24) being locked between said disk-shaped member (26) and said part in order to be maintained   in position in said first tubular portion (12).   A cartridge according to claim 1, characterized in that an area of the cup-shaped member (24), which is remote from said edge of said substantially tubular side wall portion (35) of said cup-shaped member which is remote from its bottom (37), bears against an uneven portion of the inner surface of said first tubular portion (12), said cup-shaped member (24) being locked between said disk-shaped member (26) and said unequal portion to be maintained   in position in said first tubular portion (12).   The cartridge of claim 8, wherein said inner surface of said tubular portion (12) is substantially in the form of two cylindrical surfaces (22, 23) having slightly different diameters, in place; coaxially end to end, the cylindrical surface (22) yes is the most remote   said dividing wall (16) having a loose diameter   larger than that of the cylindrical surface (23) which is the closest to the dividing wall (16) and said uneven portion of the inner surface of the first tubular portion (12) forming a step (31) in the area junction between the two cylindrical surfaces aforementioned (22, 23).   Cartridge according to claim 8, characterized in that said disk-shaped element (26) is stuck in said first tubular portion (12) and is fixed in it by said jamming.   The cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that said disk-shaped member (26) is wedged in said first tubular portion (12) and is fixed in it by said jamming.   13. The cartridge of claim 10, car-cterisée in that said disk-shaped element (26) is wedged in said first tubular portion (12) and is fixed in it by said jamming.